Policy on service areas and other roadside facilities on motorways and all-purpose trunk roads in EnglandDelivered by: Mike Penning MPPublisher: Department for TransportDelivered date: 22 June 2011

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Penning): This Statement is to inform the House that following closure of the roadside facilities policy consultation on 2 July last year, I have reviewed the responses and am introducing a change to the policy to permit the development of truckstops on the motorway network.

The consultation identified strong support from the haulage industry for the development of truckstops. Proposals for dedicated truckstop facilities will now be considered in the context of existing and/or proposed rest facilities on the strategic road network, and will be determined on their individual merit. This will include truckstop facilities that can be accessed direct from motorways – Motorway Truckstops – which are a type of facility not permitted until now. Where there is evidence to demonstrate that demand for lorry parking exceeds supply, the development of truckstop facilities at existing service areas would be viewed favourably. Proposals for Motorway Truckstops are unlikely to be supported if they would prevent a potential motorway service area (MSA) being built.

Detailed advice on the mandatory and permitted features of all categories of truckstop is set out in the table that is attached at Appendix 1 to the written copy of my Statement.

These changes supplement DfT Circular 01/2008 (April 2008). Aspects of policy not touched on in this Statement will continue to apply.

I am currently considering ways to reduce regulation, increase competition and improve still further the quality of motorway service areas. To this end, I have instructed officials in my department to identify those elements of the policy that might instead be better determined at a local level through the current planning system.

I have also instructed my officials to work with the Department for Communities and Local Government to consider how best to take these issues forward in the context of the National Planning Policy Framework. Separately, we will produce an associated DfT technical note, setting out requirements in respect of road safety and operational issues.

This approach accords with the Government’s twin aims of decentralisation and localism, reducing the burden of bureaucracy and strengthening local accountability. It will encourage competition and, through this, improve service for users.

This is good especially considering how much longer it takes them to travel the same distances that cars can and so they require regular and good quality stops. Whilst it might mean more lorries are in the slip lanes more frequently, that should be perfectly within everyone's ability to deal with (although I have seen people take extremely late action, (to help) to what has been a clearly developing hazard/s.) This might encourage more lorries to be in L2 for more time around service areas but again perfectly reasonable and sensible, it will just take more care and awareness.

What I don't see is any proposals to provide some sort of area for non HGV vehicles to "take a break" . For years I used to tramp up and down to to London and surrounding areas in a van . Most times ,I was ok to get home .But occasionally ,I felt the need to find some place to pull over and get a nap ,even for a couple of hours . Most motorway areas don't allow this ,it's ok up to two hours , but tell that to a bloke who's done a ten hour night shift ,and is knacked-his only nee might be for three hours . our system allowed me to decide that I needed a break - and insisted that I only drive when i FELT SAFE -OR GET OFF AND HEAD DOWN . Spend TOO LONG IN A MOTORWAY AREA NOW AND IT'S PENALTY PAYMENT TIME . The pity is that we see too often signs saying "TAKE A BREAK" - these days -WHERE . ( without getting a penalty charge notice)

_________________lets bring sanity back to speed limits.Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Unless there is an update, the last I heard was that the 2hr limit is UN-enforceable and the company that used to send out the letters on behalf of their client (the Service Company) was in serious trouble from The Bar.I agree that 'free 2 stay' as long as is required places are crucial for road safety. Certainly lorry stops that I have used (for cars) had no limit signs imposed and were a welcome sight.

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